Jed McCaleb Believes the Future is Now

Jed McCaleb, the creator of the one-time file-sharing juggernaut, eDonkey, has been actively involved with bringing about a more efficient world for the better part of this millennium. Since altering the way files are shared by the masses, he has gone on to create companies such as Mt. Gox, Ripple, and most recently, Stellar, which was launched due to the high population of unbanked people around the world. Recently, in a Q & A, McCaleb sat down to discuss his current ventures, as well as the processes that he has incorporated into his life to keep the juices flowing on a consistent basis.

During a typical workday, Jed McCaleb breaks down his daily tasks into two separate groups which he refers two as “focus mode” and “reactive mode.” These two modes are essential to his productivity on a day-to-day basis, as when in focus mode, he spends time building and coding for his existing and upcoming companies, and when in reactive mode, he is responding to requests, emails, and other forms of minutiae associated with keeping his business flourishing. He consistently leans on these habits to continue his productivity as an entrepreneur, but just as important as these practices, is his ability to keep his eye on the prize, so to speak. He spends a vast majority of his time thinking about the overall trajectory of his company, while also implementing a concrete strategy, and canceling out anything that is considered nonessential. It is his opinion that building toward the correct goal is of prime importance, as productivity gains can be lost when differences in direction arise.

Although Jed McCaleb consistently dedicates the majority of his time and energy to the development of his companies, he also has a flair discovering and becoming actively involved with new forms of technology with enormous potential. At the top of his list is artificial intelligence. He recently became an advisor with the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. The Machine Intelligence Research Institute is a nonprofit organization that is geared at creating adequate tools to help usher in the new age of artificial intelligence.